Toy gun



y 1957 E. H. KOELLER 2,793,635

' TOY sun Filed Oct. 13, 1953 2 ShgetaSheet 1 y 1957 EH. KOELLER2,793,635

TDY cuu Filed on. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent-O TOYGUN Erich H. Koeller, Chicago, in. Application October 13, 1953, SerialNo. 385,785

3 Claims. (31.124-2 This invention relates, in general, to toy guns, andis more particularly concerned with a toypistol operable to shoot arubber band and simultaneously therewith explode a paper cap.

Otherwise stated, the invention is embodied in a toy pistol havingmechanical means effecting the release of a previously stretched rubberband and simultaneously therewith cause explosion of a paper cap, thesesimultaneous operations being effected by manual operation of thetrigger of the toy gun.

The rubber band will serve as a projectile so that children in theirgames will be able to tell if they have hit their adversary. Anadvantage of the toy gun contemplated by this invention is the noise ofan exploding cap combined with a projectile of fair accuracy but whichcannot hurt anyone. Moreover, the ease of procuring additionalammunition is another advantage.

Accordingly, an important object and accomplishment of the invention isto provide in a toy gun hereinbefore described a mechanism operable tosimultaneously shoot a rubber band and explode a paper cap responsive toa single manual manipulation of the trigger.

An ancillary object and accomplishment of the invention is to provide anew and improved toy gun which is adapted to be economicallymanufactured and which is so designed as to permit the manufacture andassembly thereof in accordance with present day large scale massproduction methods of construction and assembly.

The invention seeks, as a final object and accomplishment, to provide atoy gun particularly characterized by a design arrangement to moreadvantageously and satisfactorily perform the functions required of itand adapted to providea compact unit which will successfully combine thefactors of structural simplicity and durability and yet be economical tomanufacture.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention disclosedherein will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after theconstruction and operation are understood from the within description.

It is preferred to accomplish the various objects of this invention andto practice the same in substantially the manner as more fully describedherein, and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings forming a part hereof and Wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the toy gun mechanism contemplated bythe present invention, the side panel enclosure means being removed tomore clearly illustrate the operating mechanism; and

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the toy gun depicted in Fig. 1 andillustrating the important component part of the toy gun mechanismcontemplated by this invention.

The drawings are to be understood to be more or less of a schematiccharacter for the purpose of illustrating and disclosing a preferredform of the improvements contemplated herein, and in the drawings likereference characters identify the same parts in the several views.

As one possible example of advantageous employment of the toy gunoperating mechanism contemplated by this invention, reference is made tothe drawings, wherein there is illustrated the toy gun operatingmechanism with which the present invention is particularly concerned anddesignated in itsentirety by the numeral 20 as being operativelyassociated, for example, with a toy pistol designated in its entirety bythe letter A.

The illustrated ftoy pistol A may comprise a handle portion 21, a bodyportion 22 and a barrel 23, the extreme outer end of which is providedwith a groove 24 adapted to accommodate portions 25 of a stretchedrubber band 26. Suflice it to say, since the invention is notparticularly concerned with the precise construction of the entire toygun as illustrated, and/or its associated parts, they will not befurther described in detail, and it is deemed sufficient for allintentions and purposes herein contained to show only portions thereofadjacent to and cooperating with the toy gun operating mechanismcontemplated herein. It is to be understood that details of constructionof such toy guns as at A with which the my gun operating mechanism 20mayadvantageously be employed, and/or its associated parts, may bemodified to suit particular conditions or to satisfy the engineeringgenius of various manufacturers, and I do not wish to be limited to theconstruction of these elements, as set forth except where suchconstruction particularly concerns the invention contemplated herein.

Having thus described, by way of example, a possible adaptation of thetoy gun operating mechanism generally indicated at 20 and ascontemplated herein, and having described the general environmentsurrounding the adaptation, the specific construction and cooperativefunctionsof the parts of said toy gun operating mechanism with which thepresent invention is particularly concerned, will now be described indetail.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention depicted in Figs. 1 and 2,the toy gun operating mechanism 20 with which the present invention isparticularly concerned comprises, in general, a plurality of locatingpins 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 carried by the body 22 of the gun A, a slideor a link indicated in its entirety by the numeral 36 and formed of arelatively fiat longitudinal extending sheet of metal and provided witha plurality of particularly shaped through slots 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41,the locating pins 31 and 34 being respectively received into throughslots 37 and 41, a pawl generally indicated by the numeral 45 andpivotally mounted on the locating pin 30, a trigger generally indicatedby the numeral 46 and adapted for pivotal mounting on the locating pin32, a hammer mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 47 andarranged for pivotal mounting on the locating pin 33, and spring means48 adapted to urge said slide 36 into operative engagementas shown.

As may best be seen in Fig. l, the pawl 45 comprises a central throughbore 50 adapted to receive the locating pin 30 effective to pivotallymount the pawl in its operative position as shown. Disposed adjacent thelower regions and projecting outwardly therefrom is a pin 51 adapted tobe received into the slot 39 of the slide 36. The upper regions of thepawl 45 are provided with a notched head '52 upon which portions 53 ofthe rubber band 26 are mounted ('Fig. 1).

The hammer 47 is provided with a through aperture adapted to receive thelocating pin 33 for pivotally mounting said hammer in its operativeposition as shown in Fig. 1. Disposed adjacent the lower regions of thehammer 47 is a projecting pin 61 adapted for receipt into the throughslot 40 of the slide 36. Theupper regions of the hammer 47 are formed todefine a head 62 adapted for engagement with a hammer block 63 carriedby the body portions 22 of the gun A.

Attention is invited to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it can be seen that thetrigger 46 is provided with a through aperture 65 adapted to receive thepivot pin 3250 as to pivotally mount the trigger 46 to the body as shownin Fig. l. The lower regions 66 of the trigger 46 are so formed as toaccommodate the finger of the user, and the upper regions thereof beingprovided with a projecting pin 67 adapted-to be received into thethrough slot 38 of the slide 36.-

As may best be seen in Fig. 1 there is provided a slide spring. 70 oneend portion of which is secured to. a projecting pin 71 carried by theslide 36 and the other end of. which is secured to a projecting pin 72carried by the handle portion 21 of the gun A, said spring 70 beingadapted .to urge movement of the slide in a generallyrearwardlydirection of the gun. Attention is. also .invited to thehammer spring 73 one end of which is secured. to a projecting flange 74of the hammer and the other end of which is secured to the locating pin34, the spring 73.being adapted to provide a force to effect a hammerblow .of the hammer head 62 upon the hammerfblock 63 in order to explodea paper cap B disposed therebetwe'en.

The leaf spring 48 bears lightly against the lower regions of the slide36 in order to urge said slide upwardly so that the various projectingpins disposed in the slots 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 will be in engagementwith the particularly defined cam surfaces of the slots, thereby to moreaccurately control the movement of the various parts.

In operation, manual manipulation of the trigger 46 will cause the .pin67 which is disposed in the through slot 38 to move the slide 36 in agenerally forwardly direction. This is accomplished because of thepivotal mounting of the trigger on the pin 32. In the event that forceis applied manually to the lower regions 66 of the trigger 46 in agenerally rearwardly direction the upper region of the trigger 46 willbe pivoted in a generally forwardly direction to cause the slide to movein this forwardly direction. 7

The movement of the slide in a forward direction will cause the pins 31and 34 to ride on the respective cam surfaces of the slots 37 and 41 toguide the slide 36 in its forward movement. It can be seen that the slot37 defines a generally straight form while the slot 41 defines a curvedform.

Because the slotted through aperture 39 defines a cam track and the pin'51 of the pawl 45 will follow this track responsive to forward movementof the slide 36, the notched head 52 will drop in a generally downwardlydirection responsive to pivotal action of the pawl upon the .pin 30.This motion will release the rubber band from the notched head 32 fordischarge thereof from the gun.

Simultaneously with the above action, the hammer is caused to pivot onthe locating pin 33 in a manner so that the head 62 moves in arearwardly direction away from the hammer block 63, this pivotal motionbeing caused because the pin 61 disposed adjacent the lower regions ofthe hammer 47 is being carried forward by the recess 80 defined in thethrough slot 40.

During the forward movement of the slide the leaf spring 48 maintainsthe respective pins in engagement with associated through slot camsurfaces. Thus, as the slide reaches its extreme forward positionresponsive to continued manual pressure upon the trigger 46, the camsurface defined by the through slot 41, and which has riding upon it thelocating pin 34, will cause a slightly generally downward movement ofthe rear end of the slide 36 thereby to release from the recess 80 ofthe through slot 40 of the pin 61, whereupon, because of the forcesexerted by the hammer spring 73, the hammer head will be driven intoengagement with the hammer block 63 to explode the paper cap B.

It is to be understood that the action of the pawl 45 to release therubber band 26 is simultaneous with the action of the hammer 47 toexplode the cap B.

The hammer spring 73 will cause the unrestrained hammer to snap forwardand explode the cap B. At the same time, the pawl tip 52 will descendinto the gun far enough so that the rubber band 26 stretched between itand the end portions of the gun barrel would be stripped of the pawl andshot on its way. Releasing the manual force on the trigger permits theslide spring 70 to pull the slide back to its original position andreset the mechanism.

Because of its simple construction, the toy gun operating mechanismcontemplated herein is economical to manufacture and is readilyadaptable to mass production manufacturing methods.

From the foregoing disclosure, it may be observed that I have provided atoy gun operating mechanism which efficiently fulfills the objects ashereinbefore set forth and which provides numerous advantages which maybe summarized as follows:

1. Structurally simple, efficient and durable;

2. Economical to manufacture and readily adaptable to mass productionmanufacturing principles; and

3. The provision in a toy gun of mechanism operable to simultaneouslyshoot a rubber band and explode a paper cap responsive to a singlemanual manipulation of the trigger.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth but wish to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy gun including a body having a barrel and a handle, a pawlincluding means adapted to accommodate a rubber band stretched betweenouter end portions of said barrel and portions of said pawl, said pawlbeing pivotally mounted at a first point on said body, means including ahammer pivotally mounted at a second point on said body and operable toexplode a paper cap, link means interconnecting said pawl and hammer andoperable to cause simultaneous movement of said pawl and hammer, saidlink means comprising a movable member having a plurality of slotsdefining cam surfaces, said pawl and saidhammer having pin meansengageable with said cam surfaces, trigger means manually movable andhaving apin in engagement with one of said cam surfaces, and the manualmovement of said trigger means being effective to move said mechanicalinterconnecting means.

2. In a toy gun comprising a body having a barrel and a handle, a pawlincluding means adapted to accommodate a rubber band stretched betweenthe outer end portions of said barrel and portions of said pawl, saidpawl being pivotally mounted at a first point on said body, and meansincluding a hammer pivotally mounted at a second point on said body andoperable to explode a paper cap: link means interconnecting said pawland hammer and operable to cause simultaneous movement of said pawl andhammer, said link means comprising a movable member having a pluralityof slots defining cam surfaces, said pawl and said hammer having pinmeans engageable with said cam surfaces, trigger means manually movableand having a pin in engagement with one of said cam surfaces, and themanual movement of said trigger means being effective to move saidmechanical interconnecting means.

3. Toy gun operating'mechanism comprising a pawl operable to discharge arubber band from the gun, and a hammer operable to explode a paper cap,a gun operating link including mechanical. means interconnecting saidpawl and hammer and operable to cause simultaneous movement of said pawland hammer, said link comprising a slidable member having a plurality ofslots defining cam surfaces, said pawl and said hammer having pin meansengageable with said cam surfaces, trigger means manually movable andhaving a pin in engagement with one of said cam surfaces, and the manualmovement of said trigger means being effective to slide said link.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Burns July 7, 1925 Taylor July 1, 1930 Haws June23,1931 Bixler Apr. 24, 1934 Burton Dec. 7, 1948 Tufts May 17, 1955

